Griffey finally homers, but Reds lose in ninth

MILWAUKEE - Ken Griffey found his home run swing. The Brewers found a way to win.

Griffey hit his first homer this season, No.502 of his career, but Milwaukee beat Cincinnati 6-5 on Saturday on Damian Miller's single in the ninth.

Milwaukee rallied from a four-run deficit for its third consecutive victory, matching a season high set when it started 3-0.

Griffey connected off reliever Victor Santos in the fourth. He did not homer in 48 at-bats during spring training and his first 21 games and 79 at-bats this season.

It was Griffey's first home run since July8, also in Milwaukee. That came against Wes Obermueller, who started for the Brewers on Saturday.

"It was bound to happen," Reds manager Dave Miley said. "Hopefully, it will add up."

Griffey, who tore his hamstring off the bone in August and missed the rest of the season, sent a 3-and-1 pitch just over the centerfield wall. It was estimated at 401 feet.

"I think (the reporters) make more out of it than me," said Griffey, who went 101 at-bats without a homer from May22 to June20 in 1990 while with Seattle.

"I haven't done anything different. I just went down and got one."

Sean Casey's first homer of the season gave the Reds a 2-0 lead in the third. Griffey's homer made it 4-1.

Down 5-1, the Brewers scored four times with two outs in the seventh. Junior Spivey's two-run single made it 5-3, and Russell Branyan's two-run double tied it.

Derrick Turnbow got two outs in the ninth for the win, escaping a bases-loaded jam when Rich Aurilia flied out.

Carlos Lee then opened the bottom half with a single off Joe Valentine, ending an 0-for-21 slump. Lyle Overbay walked, and Valentine's error on Chris Magruder's sacrifice loaded the bases with none out. After Branyan flied out to shallow right, Miller singled over Ryan Freel's head in right to win it.

"We manufactured a run," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "That was a huge win. That's the first time in a while where we battled back, especially from a four-run deficit."

[Last modified April 30, 2005, 23:59:18]